Japanese Game Company Gives Productive Workers Big Baby Bonuses

Making babies for fun and profit? We all know about the former but now Japanese game company Koei Tecmo is doling out the dollars for "productive" employees - whether they're good workers or not.

Before their recent merger, Japanese gaming firms Koei and Tecmo had a curious corporate bonus plan in place: employees were given the yen equivalent of $1,000 upon the birth of a child. They didn't even come up with the idea - Bandai instituted a $10,000 per child program in 2000, though the payments would be made only for each new child begat by families who already had at least 2 children.

Koei Tecmo is being a little more flexible though the big bucks really kick in when a third child kicks out: $1,000 for one child, $2,000 for the second and a whopping $20,300 for a third! Should the proud parents continue to procreate, further 20-grand payments will be given for each new child. Wait 'til Octomom and the Duggars hear about this!

Why is Koei Tecmo doing this? They're neither affiliated with the Ministry of Health nor do they sell pediatric products. Some of their games, such as Dynasty Warriors and Dead or Alive, you wouldn't want anywhere near a child.

Chalk it up to good old fashioned patriotism and concern for Japan's distressingly flaccid birthrate - not to mention the increasing average age of the population. Perhaps KT worries that one day, the country will be awash in seniors who aren't interested in playing sexy, violent (or both) video games. (via Kotaku and Andriasang, title image via GameSetWatch, original Japanese article here)